When I haven’t seen someone in a while, it’s common for me to ask, “How are you doing?” What I often hear is “I’m very busy.” At times (more so lately), I’m also hearing, “I’m very tired.” Perhaps they go hand-in-glove. Being overly busy can lead to being overly tired, sometimes exhaustion, and moving slowly but surely toward burnout.

Not too long ago I read a book by Kevin DeYoung entitled, “Crazy Busy” with the subtitle “A (Mercifully) Short Book About a (Really) Big Problem.”

I read it and thought, it must be a really big problem for somebody to write an entire book on being crazy busy. Here is one quote to whet your appetite:

“There are two realities of the modernized, urbanized, globalized world that most everyone else in human history could not fathom; our complexity and our opportunity. …because we can do so much, we do do so much.”

On January 11, 2017 in The Los Angeles Times, there was an article entitled, “How ‘busyness’ became a status symbol.” written by Jena McGregor. Here are a few snippets from the article:

“…being so busy seems to be a badge of honor, a status symbol in our always-on world.”

“…busyness is an actual way people signal their importance—and that marketers are responding to it.”

“Talking about a scarcity of time is ‘a more nuanced way to display [importance] that doesn’t go through conspicuous consumption. It’s implicitly telling you that I am very important, and my human capital is sought after, which is why I’m so busy.’”

“In other words, getting the work done fast and having more time for leisure was not something associated with prestige.”

“Bellezza says managers should shift as much as possible their attention to what people are producing, rather than how long they’re in the office.”

Now, pause and think!

1. Are you crazy busy, as Kevin DeYoung wrote?

2. Is your value and worth in who you are in Jesus and who he is in you or has a subtle shift taken place in your thinking and action so that your sense of value and worth is in how busy you are? Be honest with yourself!

3. Ask family and friends if you have fallen into the trap and bought into the unbiblical mindset of assuming that busyness equals importance and has become a status symbol for you.

Tough questions that demand thoughtful and prayerful answers!

“Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30, The Message

“It is vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Psalm 127:2, ESV